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Fantastical painting for Sale

Fantasy painting is a style of art which explores the supernatural, depicting fantastical elements such as legends, ancient myths and divine figures. Mythical creatures are also prevalent in this genre where elves, fairies, dragons and wizards are often depicted alongside deities, angels and demons.

Fantasy painting grew in popularity after the invention of photography replaced the demand for Realism in the 19th century. The 20th century saw the introduction of new idealistic movements such as Expressionism, Cubism, Abstraction and Surrealism, where artists abandoned portraying subjects truthfully and embraced the implausible and supernatural. Although Fantasy Painting can technically be traced back to antiquity, it wasn't until the 20th century that it became an accepted art form. Artists of the Italian Renaissance were equally inspired by mythological characters in Greek and Roman culture. However, religious mythology was a highly sophisticated and incredibly important topic during the Renaissance, and is therefore not an example of fantasy painting. 

Contemporary fantasy art has certainly been influenced by a surge in demand for science fiction and whimsical literary plots. This pushed artists to explore the darker corners of fantasy art, employing vampires and werewolves into their artwork. In 1923 the first all-fantasy fiction magazine was created called “Weird Tales", which helped bring fantasy painting onto a contemporary platform. As a result, fantasy painting became a powerful tool in the marketing of fantasy literature and film. Robert E. Howard's comic book hero “Conan the Barbarian" was a prominent feature in Weird Tales magazine. However, when the stories were re-released in 1960 with cover art by notable fantasy painter, Frank Frazetta, over 10 million copies were sold. This success lead to the creation of other fantasy art magazines. French magazine, “Métal Hurlant" (howling metal) was created in 1974. Due to its huge readership and demand, it was translated and republished in the United States as “Heavy Metal" in 1977. The late 70s also saw a boom in computer games and blockbuster films, which only furthered the popularity of fantasy painting. Hugely successful films like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hobbit and Twilight were paramount in fantasy painting's not only rise to prominence, but also increasing acceptance as an art form. 

Despite the skill of artists that produce fantasy paintings, it is still not considered canonical. Since it is not an example of “high art", the genre is generally not exhibited in galleries or taught in art schools, which many claim is due to the popularity of fantasy literature and film. However, as fantasy painting's reputation grows, so does the acceptance for a wider variety of art forms. Therefore, we can't eliminate the possibility that this massively prominent genre won't be considered highbrow one day. 

Discover our selection of original paintings by contemporary artists and painters who have been inspired by all things supernatural, mythical and divine.

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Painting, Untitled, Ani Hovak

Untitled

Ani Hovak

Painting - 95 x 73 x 0.3 cm Painting - 37.4 x 28.7 x 0.1 inch

$1,305

Painting, Cité, Sylvie Cappe

Cité

Sylvie Cappe

Painting - 115 x 75 x 1.5 cm Painting - 45.3 x 29.5 x 0.6 inch

$1,424

Painting, Triptych, Silvia Cuello

Triptych

Silvia Cuello

Painting - 35 x 65 cm Painting - 13.8 x 25.6 inch

$961

Painting, Illusions 2, Igor Galan

Illusions 2

Igor Galan

Painting - 190 x 150 x 3 cm Painting - 74.8 x 59.1 x 1.2 inch

$10,677

Painting, Spam, Bernard Rebatet

Spam

Bernard Rebatet

Painting - 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

$1,068

Painting, Arpias, Sandra de Jaume

Arpias

Sandra de Jaume

Painting - 145 x 195 x 1.9 cm Painting - 57.1 x 76.8 x 0.7 inch

$11,863

Painting, Defense, Renjie Gao

Defense

Renjie Gao

Painting - 155 x 143 x 4 cm Painting - 61 x 56.3 x 1.6 inch

$20,000

Painting, Les Sirenes, Henri Ichiza

Les Sirenes

Henri Ichiza

Painting - 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

$5,932

Painting, Sans titre, Dawal

Sans titre

Dawal

Painting - 81 x 54 x 3 cm Painting - 31.9 x 21.3 x 1.2 inch

$2,017

Painting, Les Voix, Dawal

Les Voix

Dawal

Painting - 93 x 72 x 3 cm Painting - 36.6 x 28.3 x 1.2 inch

$2,477

Painting, Ilot, Eskat

Ilot

Eskat

Painting - 145 x 30 x 6 cm Painting - 57.1 x 11.8 x 2.4 inch

$1,957

Painting, REF1016, Gerard Di Maccio

REF1016

Gerard Di Maccio

Painting - 96 x 66 x 2 cm Painting - 37.8 x 26 x 0.8 inch

$15,422

Painting, Cuatro Partes, Boris OA

Cuatro Partes

Boris OA

Painting - 89 x 86 x 3 cm Painting - 35 x 33.9 x 1.2 inch

$3,322

Painting, La vie en rose, Boris OA

La vie en rose

Boris OA

Painting - 105 x 140 x 1 cm Painting - 41.3 x 55.1 x 0.4 inch

$5,813

Painting, Turbo Snoozalistic, Nesta

Turbo Snoozalistic

Nesta

Painting - 73 x 92 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 36.2 x 0.8 inch

$3,144

Painting, Delphinus, Gaelle Beyaert

Delphinus

Gaelle Beyaert

Painting - 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

$1,732

Painting, Evenfall, Danielle Winger

Evenfall

Danielle Winger

Painting - 50 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

$2,373

Painting, Deep dive, Gaka Mira

Deep dive

Gaka Mira

Painting - 85 x 50 x 1 cm Painting - 33.5 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,780

Painting, Ghost, Juliane Hundertmark

Ghost

Juliane Hundertmark

Painting - 85 x 111 x 2 cm Painting - 33.5 x 43.7 x 0.8 inch

$6,999

Painting, Untitled, Ani Hovak

Untitled

Ani Hovak

Painting - 63 x 57 x 1 cm Painting - 24.8 x 22.4 x 0.4 inch

$1,424

Painting, Untitled, Ani Hovak

Untitled

Ani Hovak

Painting - 95 x 73 x 0.5 cm Painting - 37.4 x 28.7 x 0.2 inch

$1,305

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Print, Balance, Irena Aizen

Balance

Irena Aizen

Print - 25.5 x 22.5 x 1 cm Print - 10 x 8.9 x 0.4 inch

$769

Print, Dream, Insane 51

Dream

Insane 51

Print - 70 x 70 cm Print - 27.6 x 27.6 inch

$1,768

Need help with Fantastical painting ?
What is a fantasy painting?

A fantasy painting depicts imaginary, supernatural, or unreal scenes, often inspired by myths, dreams, or fantasy. It invites the viewer to explore worlds where imagination takes precedence over reality.

What is dreamlike and fantastic painting?

Dreamlike and fantastical painting explores imaginary worlds, blending dreams with the unreal. It is characterized by surreal scenes, invented creatures, and mysterious landscapes, inviting escape and personal interpretation.

What characterizes the fantasy genre?

The fantasy genre is distinguished by the eruption of supernatural or inexplicable elements into a realistic universe, arousing doubt and confusion in both the characters and the viewer. It invites us to question the boundary between reality and imagination, a theme often explored in contemporary art.

What is the prettiest painting in the world?
The notion of "the most beautiful painting in the world" is subjective and varies according to taste. Among the most admired works, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa fascinates with its mystery, but every contemporary art lover will find their own favorite on Artsper.